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Statement by Mr. Drahoslav Štefánek, Chargé d´affaires a.i., Deputy Permanent
Representative of Slovakia
Special session of the Human Rights Council on the Situation of Human Rights in the
East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Geneva, 28 November 2008
Mr. President, Madam High Commissioner, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
At the outset, I would like to reiterate our full support for the statement made by H.E.
Ambassador Jean-Baptiste Mattéi, Permanent Representative of France, speaking on behalf of
the European Union.
Slovakia was among those member states of the Human Rights Council, which have
supported the convening the Special Session of the Human Rights Council on the Situation of
Human Rights in the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The holding of this
special session is fully in line with one of the core mandates given to the Council – which is to
address situations of violations of human rights.
The present situation in the Eastern part of the DRC is a matter of concern to the
international community after a new outbreak of hostilities in August this year and this
Council must not turn a blind eye to it. The recent armed conflict, which spread throughout
North Kivu, has left over 250 000 displaced persons and resulted in many casualties among
civilian population. In its unanimously adopted resolution 1843 (2008) from 20 November
2008, the Security Council expressed its extreme concern at the deteriorating humanitarian
situation and in particular the targeted attacks against civilians, sexual violence, recruitment of
child soldiers and summary executions. We have studied with the utmost attention the recent
report of the Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon of 21 November 2008,
presented to the Security Council. The reading of the report is worrisome when it states that
FARDC and national police elements were responsible for serious human rights violations,
including arbitrary executions, rape, torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.
According to the report, Congolese and different foreign armed forces also perpetrated serious
human rights abuses such as mass killings, torture, abductions, torture, abductions, the forced
recruitment of children, forced displacement, the destruction of camps for IDPs, forced labour
and sexual slavery and other forms of sexual violence.
Therefore, it would be fully justified in our view, in addition to the mandate already
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given to the seven special procedures in the HRC resolution 7/20, to involve the Special
Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions and the Special Rapporteur on
torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment to examine the
situation of human rights in the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
We would also like to underline the cooperative spirit of the Council, which the
cooperation of the Government concerned is a vital element of. We welcome the cooperation
of the Government of the DRC with the thematic special procedures so far and we do believe
that this cooperation will continue to address the situation in the North Kivu. By the same
token, we also welcome the cooperation of the Government extended so far to the
International Criminal Court and we call on the Government, , to bring to justice, whether at
national or international level, all the perpetrators of crimes committed in the recent conflict in
the Eastern part of the DRC, particularly in the province of North Kivu.
Let me conclude by expressing our hope and wish to the Congolese people to finally
enjoy peace in their country. The international community should provide its utmost
assistance to make it happen.
Thank you for your attention.
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